Standing on the Corner of BALD St. and CHEMO Ave.

No, I did not plan this one bit. In fact, I didn't even notice this sign when Hil and I went to Ojai a couple of weeks ago for one of our 'Sunday drives.' We simply wanted to be out in the sunshine and after stopping at a new outdoor cafe for a break and a small bite to eat, we returned to our car to keep heading down the road when we noticed it. We both gasped, laughed and immediately she wanted a pic of me right under my new street sign. We couldn't believe the coincidence (HA!) of standing on this corner at this time in my life - baldness down one street and chemo down the other. Clearly, a salute and a bow to this journey.

Go Bald or Go Home!

Disclaimer: Results not typical. Some models are paid professionals - HA!

When I say that I NEVER thought that in my lifetime I would be personally touched by baldness, I mean never! But as of late, there seems to be a bald invasion that I am now surrounded by.

So, now I find myself in a unique position that involves the skin on my head that I haven't seen since my baby pictures five decades back. Then a couple of weeks ago, I received this card in the mail from Hil's family, spearheaded by her older brother Marcus (yes, the same brother that I made look at my post-mastectomy chest right after surgery because I simply couldn't peek myself). Hey, he's a professional 'boob guy' from his earlier days as a medical device engineer for breast cancer detection. Who better to have a looky-loo than him? P.S. He thought it looked "REALLY good - awesome in fact!"

But, in between parenting and working 60 hour weeks with his own engineering company, Marcus somehow found the creative time and the wholeheartedness to photoshop a picture of everyone in Hil's family sporting their baldness in support of my own. Seriously? This so sparked simultaneous laughter and tears. But here's the kicker, I quickly found out that not everyone on the card was Photoshopped!

Say what?

The gals of course all still have their locks (minus 10" of Hannah's hair that she donated) and in spite of the fact that Hil keeps offering to shave her head to be on 'Team Yog!' (I just can't have her do it). BUT... the boys (big and small) have all shaved their heads in honor of my own baldness. Wow! Now that's a crazy-bald-love-fest right there.

Nate (Hil's younger brother), has been rocking the near-bald-look for the last year or so, but even more so now as he and I have been threatening to have a 'Who Wore It Better' bald head competition. So, I think I may just need to open the poll to all the boys in the family now.

Bottom line, I was genuinely touched by the card, the love and the nod to my new chrome dome courtesy of chemo. And if I'm going to have a bald posse by my side, this one's a pretty great one to have!

Locks of Love!

When we called our niece Hannah on her 7th birthday a couple of weeks ago, she was full of that celebratory excitement that only a kid exudes. Asking her all the right and fitting questions that aunts do on a birthday like "What did you do?" "How was your party?" "What was your favorite present?" - she oddly didn't talk up the usual list of birthday topics. Instead, she had bigger news to share.

"Guess what I did for my birthday?" she said in the most excited birthday voice from the back seat of the family car she was sitting in as we spoke long distance. "What Hannah?!" Oh, this is going to be good we thought, you could just tell by her enthusiasm.

What she said next, frankly floored me. "I cut off my hair and donated it to people with cancer!" Screeeeeech! "What did you say Hannah?" She said it again with the same spirit and zeal as she repeated that she cut off 10" of her hair to donate to people who have cancer.

Silence. I couldn't hold it together a second longer. Thank goodness two of us were on the phone because I for one, lost it. The floodgates opened and the tears started pouring down my face. I couldn't utter a word and just dropped my face into my hands and sobbed.

What 7 year old girl, on her BIRTHDAY, thinks to go chop her blonde locks off in honor of me and "all the people who have cancer?" Really?! So undeniably selfless and not 7 in my book. What happened to the 'all about me' mentality in this whole equation that is expected at this age?

But, as the story unfolded, we learned that she and her dad, (Hil's older brother Marcus) went to the hair salon together sitting side-by-side (his story coming soon!) to donate 10" of her hair to Locks of Love! 'Wow,' is all I can continue to muster up.

Fast forward another week and I had another but new conversation with Marcus about how Hannah was preparing for her 'star of the week' debut in her class, and then he breaks more news to me. With her poster in hand and ready to answer her classmates questions about her 7 year old life and what she wants to be when she grows up (a veterinarian), Hannah announces to her dad that she has now changed her long term goals and ambitions and no longer desires to be a doctor to the animal kingdom.

I want to "make medicine!" she proclaimed to Marcus. Both shocked and puzzled, he asked "Like Auntie Chris?" (our pharmacist sister-in-law). "Well, what exactly does she do?" (explanation complete from dad) aannnnd... "No dad, I don't want to GIVE medicine to people, I want to MAKE medicine for people who have cancer and so that their hair doesn't fall out."

What?! Seriously? I can hardly take in all of this grade school wisdom. First, the hair and now the new career as a cancer scientist? Holy moly! "Could she get on that right away?" I say to Marcus. He agreed.

And there you have it - kindness, philanthropy, thoughtfulness and forethought - all wrapped up into one 7 year old birthday package. So, all I have to say at this point to my niece, AKA 'Hannah Banana' is... You ROCK girlie! You really ROCK! xoxo Auntie Yog

The Pre-Bald Hair Cut

My hair days are numbered, so I thought I'd make the process a tad easier by cutting it off. And for the record, my last hair wash for a while sure felt great! 

And there SHE goes - Missy at New Birds in Ventura! Luv her!

Hmmmm.... and there IT goes.

Wow, it feels so breezy short!

Wowza! That was more hair than I thought!

Tah Dah!

THANK YOU Missy!